Archive for July, 2009

We may be over this humidity kick, but Mother Nature doesn’t appear to be on board with that. A little escapism please …

Look
CMOM’s Summer Snow?
Maybe the Martha Madigan photos of snowmen will offer some much-needed relief. The Children’s Museum of Manhattan is hosting Madigan’s exhibit of pictures of snowmen in various states of melting as well as “snowmen” made of sand. Madigan’s work is part of collections at the Met, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Using Madigan’s photos as inspiration, kids can make snowman dioramas and collages.
When: Opens Sat. 8/1 (and runs through Jan. 3^rd), 10am-5pm; free with museum admission.
(Diorama making at noon, 2, 3 & 4pm. Collages from 10-11:15am).
Where: Children’s Museum of Manhattan, The Tisch Bldg, 212 W. 83^rd St. (bet. Broadway and Amsterdam), 212-721-1223, cmom.org.

Hear
Yuto Miyazawa
Japanese child rock prodigy Miyazawa will be performing at the Highline Ballroom. Named last August in the Guinness Book of World Records as “The Youngest Professional Guitarist,” Miyazawa has played at NYC hotspots B.B King Blues Club & Grill and The Cutting Room.
When: Sun., 8/2, 2pm, $10 in advance, $12 at the door.
Where: The Highline Ballroom, 431 W. 16^th St., (bet. 9^th and 10^th Avenues), 212-414-5994; tickets available ticketweb.com.

See & Do
Evening Stars: Merce Cunningham Dance Company
Co-produced with The Joyce Theater and River to River Festival, the Merce Cunningham Dance Company is offering three free performances. Works were choreographed specifically for this site. The late Merce Cunningham, who passed away last Sunday, was one of the masters of contemporary dance. He will be honored after Saturday’s performance with a special tribute.
When: Sat., 8/1 at 6pm & Sun., 8/2 at 2pm and 6pm; free.
Where: Rockefeller Park, 29 River Terrace (bet. Chambers and Barclay Sts.), rivertorivernyc.com.

Dance in the Park: Family Movement Workshop with the Merce Cunningham Dance Company
Warm up before the show Saturday with dancers from the company who will assist families in creating their own dance “events.”
When: Sat., 8/1 and Sun., 8/2 at 4pm, free; age 6 and older.
Where: Rockefeller Park, 29 River Terrace, (bet. Chambers and Barclay Sts.). Reservations requested. E-mail name and number of participants in your party to mcdcfamilyday@joyce.org.

Listen
Bilingual Buds’ “The Three Bears”
Bilingual Buds sponsors an afternoon of Mandarin Chinese storytime at the Lincoln Triangle Barnes & Noble. The classic tale will be read in both Mandarin and English.
When: Sun., 8/2, noon; free.
Where: Barnes & Noble, 1972 Broadway (at 68^th St.), bilingualbudsnyc.com.

We’re used to reading (and panicking) about the record number of young kids in the city and the competition for spots at both nursery and ongoing schools. And you’re probably aware of the waiting lists for public school kindergarten classes in Manhattan this year. So it’s refreshing to hear about a new school that’s opening.

Bilingual Buds, a Mandarin Chinese immersion preschool (and primary school), is coming to the UWS. The program is for kids from Mandarin-speaking as well as non-Mandarin-speaking households. Classes will be taught by native speakers, and preschoolers will spend most of the day learning math, science, language arts, art and music in Mandarin. They’ll also study many of these subjects in English. Bilingual Buds’ NY outpost opens this fall for preschool and Mommy & Me classes. The school will eventually expand to include kindergarten through third grade. Hey, there are benefits to learning to speak the most common language in the world.

These Buds are for you.

Bilingual Buds, 180 Riverside Blvd. (at 68th St.), 212-787-8088.

For more information on the school and upcoming events Bilingual Buds is hosting this summer, visit bilingualbudsnyc.com.

Take your mind off health care reform for a while …

Do
The High Line and Bash the Trash Environmental Arts
Finally a good excuse to check out the High Line. Kids will fashion their own instruments from recycled materials and then parade around this unique park created on an abandoned elevated railway.
When: Sat., 7/25, 11am; free.
Where: 10th Avenue Square, on the High Line at 17th St., RSVP at thehighline.org

Go
Still Hip’s 2nd Birthday Block Party
Brooklyn’s Still Hip boutique and neighbors host a block party on Grand Avenue. Free yoga, arts ‘n’ crafts and Spanish music classes. Performances by Rolie Polie Guacamole and LIG Funk Band.
When: Sat., 7/25, 10am-8pm; free.
Where: Brooklyn’s Grand Avenue between Lafayette and Clifton, stillhipbrooklyn.com.

Hear
Milkshake
On the kiddie rock circuit, this well-known band has already made the rounds on Noggin, PBS Kids and Discovery Kids. This weekend they play downtown at the Little Airplane Cafe.
When: Sun., 7/26, 1pm; tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door.
Where: Little Airplane Cafe at Little Airplane Productions, 207 Front St., South Street Seaport, 212-965-8999, littleairplane.com.

Shop
Bundle
Save a bundle at Bundle, a relative newcomer on the Soho boutique scene. Take 30% off the shop’s well-edited collection of children’s clothing, including pieces from Acoustic, Neige, Splendid and Tea.
Where: Bundle, 128 Thompson St. (bet. Prince and Houston), 212-982-9465 and online at bundlenyc.com.

Plan
Hayao Miyazaki’s PONYO
Reserve tickets now for a special pre-release screening of Japanese animation master Hayao Miyazaki’s newest film, Ponyo. Academy-Award winner Miyazaki has previously brought us the acclaimed Spirited Away and Castle in the Sky. New York International Children’s Film Festival is presenting the screening in two weeks but tickets are going fast.
When: Sun., 8/9, 3pm; $15 non-members, $10 NYICFF members, all ages.
Where: Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway (at 95th St.)
For tickets, visit gkids.com.

In this post-Madoff, post-mortgage-meltdown world, it’s hard to walk a city block without seeing an empty storefront or a “for lease” sign. So it’s refreshing to hear about a business that’s expanding.

Citibabes, Soho’s mod mecca for parents and kids, just opened CitiGym, a new playspace and classroom at the club for mini members ages 0-5. That’s in addition to Citibabes’ 1,500-square-foot playground, adult gym and cafe. CitiGym (open to Citibabes members) offers new classes, including Master Movers, CitiSports and CitiMoves. Older kids can literally hit the wall - the club’s state-of-the-art climbing wall. And for those of you who have fled to the burbs, Citibabes is opening a second Scarsdale location in late August.

Support the local economy.

Citibabes, 52 Mercer St. (bet. Broome and Grande), 1-800-697-0107, citibabes.com.

Do
The Ego and the Id
On your way to the zoo or midtown, head to the base of Central Park and check out this newly-installed sculpture from internationally acclaimed artist Franz West. No major time commitment and the trip is worth it. In bubblegum pink and other whimsical colors, the aluminum sculpture soars 20 feet high. Visitors can sit in stools that are built into the sculpture. West’s work has been featured at MoMA and other museums around the world.
When: 7/15-3/10; free.
Where: Doris C. Freedman Plaza, 60th St. and Fifth Ave., at entrance to Central Park, publicartfund.org.

Hear
Nation Beat
Give me a beat. Enjoy this concert/dance lesson combo. Nation Beat is mixture of thunderous Brazilian drumming, New Orleans rhythms, Appalachian-inspired bluegrass, funk, rock and country blues. Before the concert, Nation Beat will teach a free Brazilian dance class.
When: Sat., 7/18, 4-5pm, Brazilian dance class; 5-6pm Nation Beat concert; free.
Where: Riverwalk Commons on Roosevelt Island, (Take F train to Roosevelt Island or Roosevelt Island Tram at 59th and 2nd), rooseveltlive.com.

See
The Secret of Kells
Catch the U.S. premiere of this new animated film that just picked up an award at the Edinburgh Film Festival. Presented here by the New York International Children’s Film Festival, the Irish movie tells the story of 12-year-old Brendan who must take on Vikings and a serpent god to finish the legendary Book of Kells. A cut above typical kiddie fare on the silver screen.
When: Sat., 7/18 and Sun. 7/19, 11am. Ages 6 and up; $8.50 for children, $12.50 for adults.
Where: IFC Center, 323 W. Sixth Ave. (at W. Third), (212) 924-7771, gkids.com.

Shop
Firefly Children’s Boutique
Who doesn’t love a sample sale? Coats and vests are 10% off already reduced prices.
Where: South Street Seaport, 224 Front St., 646-416-6560; Park Slope, 240 Seventh Ave. (at Fourth St.), 718-965-3535 fireflychildrensboutique.com

Photo credit: Seong Kwon, courtesy of Public Art Fund

For many of us, The Jetsons will forever be our benchmark for a high-tech utopia. Forget about MP3 players and e-mail. George, Jane, Judy and Elroy had aerocars and machines that dispensed fully-cooked meals at the press of a button.

The Sony Wonder Technology Lab may be our best bet for experiencing life a la the Jetsons. The state-of-the-art technology and entertainment museum has revamped two floors with 14 new interactive exhibits. And the Lab takes that “interactive” component seriously. Kids can learn about the science behind all the modern gadgets that allow us to create and communicate electronically. They can record their voices, digitize images and then send them to screens around the room. They can also see their own dance moves performed electronically by an animated character, participate in an HDTV broadcast and program a robot. The sandbox set will want to take a spin on the interactive floor. (Saturday Night Fever lives on.) For perspective, check out Sony’s display of technology past which includes a gargantuan cell phone, a 10-inch floppy disk and a record player. How old do we feel now!

Take heart. A new, live-action Jetsons movie is supposedly on the way.

When: Tuesdays through Saturdays, 10am-5pm; Sundays, noon-5pm; free.
Where: The Sony Wonder Technology Lab, 550 Madison Ave. (at 56^th), 212-833-8100, wondertechlab.com.

The irony of being in this age of information overload - it’s never been harder or easier to learn what to expect when you’re expecting.   Try Googling “pregnancy.”  Got time to sift through 137 million hits?  And we haven’t even started with Facebook, Twitter (and, of course, UB), and the parenting magazines and books.

Midwife Cara Muhlhahn, featured in Ricki Lake and director Abby Epstein’s film The Business of Being Born, is headlining a seminar to pare down the essentials for you.  A vocal advocate of home birth, she’ll explain birthing options plus touch on key topics related to maintaining a healthy pregnancy.  Other speakers at The Pregnant New Yorker’s “alternative health event” include a doula, registered dietitian, prenatal massage therapist, GYROTONIC/GYROKINESIS trainers and an acupuncturist.  You can also learn how to green your home for Junior.  And there will even be a Henna artist talking about temporary body painting for pregnant women.  Visuals included.

Tweet that.

When: Tue., 7/14, 6:30–9pm; $10.
Where: Kinespirit, 40 E. 23^rd St. (between Park and Madison), 3rd floor.
Register at thepregnantnewyorker.com.

For your “staycation.”

Go
Sportacular Family Fitness Fest
Move it, move it at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Play games from around the world, navigate an obstacle course, and watch competitive Double Dutch jumpers plus beach tennis and fencing demos.
When: Sat. 7/11 & Sun. 7/12, 11:30am-5pm (All ages); Free with the cost of admission.
Where: Brooklyn Children’s Museum, 145 Brooklyn Avenue (at St. Marks Ave.),
(718) 735-4400, brooklynkids.org.

See
Central Park SumerStage Family Day
Yo Gabba Gabba! characters DJ Lance and Brobee hit SummerStage, along with The Fresh Beat Band (They’ve got a Nickelodeon show on the way.) and award-wining children’s book author and illustrator Iza Trapani. Puppeteers from the famed Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater will perform a modernized Sleeping Beauty.
When: Sun. 7/12, 3-7pm; Free.
Where: Central Park SummerStage at Rumsey Playfield, 212-360-2777,
summerstage.org.

Hear
Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra
Take it Big Easy. The only thing missing is the gumbo at this ROOSEVELT L!VE concert. Brother Joscephus et al. bring the sounds of New Orleans to Riverwalk Commons.
When: Sat. 6/11, 4-6pm; Free.
Where: Riverwalk Commons on Roosevelt Island (Take F train to Roosevelt Island or Roosevelt Island Tram at 59^th and 2^nd), rooseveltlive.com.
Shop
Giggle
The Summer 2009 Sale is in full swing. Enjoy 70% off on clothing, bedding, bags, stationery and toys from Giggle’s well-edited collection of top brands, including Cabana Life, Tea and Egg by Susan Lazar.
When: Now until supplies last.
Where: UES - 1033 Lexington Ave. (at 74^th St.), 212-249-4249.
SoHo - 120 Wooster St. (between Prince & Spring), 212-334-5817.
(Plus all other Giggle stores and online at giggle.com.)

By the time kids here hit preschool, they’ve already heard swear words in 14 different languages and are well aware of how to hail a cab (and mute Taxi TV!). Street smarts comes with our zip codes. But that doesn’t mean certain parts of the city aren’t intimidating for Junior.

A jam-packed Madison Square Garden or Beacon Theatre - even if the main attraction is Thomas - can be daunting. Let’s not even discuss sensory overload. Little Airplane Productions - the company behind Nick Jr.’s award-winning Wonder Pets!- is opening a cozy new music venue (room for 100 people) called Little Airplane Cafe. Throughout the summer, the South Street Seaport “Cafe” will feature prominent, family-friendly artists in a living room set-up. First up this Sunday is the American Idol of the Crayola crowd: Laurie Berkner. “It will be a treat to play in such an intimate setting,” says Berkner. Milkshake! and best-selling children’s author Jon Scieszka (The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales) are also slated to take the stage later this summer.

Hey, it is the 40^th anniversary of Woodstock.

When: 7/12, 7/26 & 8/9 at 1pm; $8 per ticket for pre-orders, $10 at the door.

Where: Little Airplane Cafe at Little Airplane Productions, 207 Front St., South Street Seaport, 212-965-8999. Visit littleairplane.com.

Your kids have a strange fascination with the subway — the grit, the grime, the slow-moving trains, the coughing commuters. You indulge them once in awhile on the 6, but there’s an entire world of subways to explore.

Subway Ride offers a glimpse into ten of the world’s subway stations, from Moscow to Mexico City. Five children ride the rails, showing how travel through different culture helps create a community. Visit the underground as the kids pay the fare, hear musicians and brave the crowds, whether it’s on Atlanta’s MARTA or Stockholm’s T-Bana. Author Heather Lynn Miller was inspired by zipping through the tunnels of NYC, which has more stations than any other subway in the world.

One down, 468 to go.

Available at amazon.com.